Sales experts discuss the Future of Selling

Todd Herman, the winner of the World’s Greatest Salesperson contest, speaks to industry experts about the Future of Selling. Listen to David Hernandez, Amilya Antonetti, Dan Waldschmidt, Jen Groover and Richard Bravman as they share their thoughts on Social Selling.

In my mind, there really isnâ€™t a difference. Selling as we know it will be dead. A completely new system of persuasion and order fulfillment will serve that purpose.

I understand that premise sounds audacious; and perhaps the day-to-day evolution of the selling process might seem to change more deliberately — but the end state of selling will certainly be dramatically different than it is right now.

Historically, customer options have largely been limited by accessibility to data. This data includes options to solutions, performance history, and possible risks from not implementing a solution. Buyers used salespeople as their access to this solution information.

The rapid acceleration of structured web data and connected smartphones replaces this traditional role filled by sales people. And in many ways it improves upon the often manipulative pressure exerted by sales executives. When offered the opportunity to replace subjective interpretation with seemingly objective decision-making, buyers chose to not deal with salespeople.

This â€œperfect stormâ€ of buyer frustration and anywhere access to selective expertise (such as friends on Facebook) is fundamentally eradicating professionally selling. While expert salesman will always be necessary in business development, the use of people in the role of selling will not be necessary as a business accelerating activity.

What we think of as marketing is fast becoming this new process for persuading buyer activity.

In my mind, there really isnâ€™t a difference. Selling as we know it will be dead. A completely new system of persuasion and order fulfillment will serve that purpose.

I understand that premise sounds audacious; and perhaps the day-to-day evolution of the selling process might seem to change more deliberately — but the end state of selling will certainly be dramatically different than it is right now.

Historically, customer options have largely been limited by accessibility to data. This data includes options to solutions, performance history, and possible risks from not implementing a solution. Buyers used salespeople as their access to this solution information.

The rapid acceleration of structured web data and connected smartphones replaces this traditional role filled by sales people. And in many ways it improves upon the often manipulative pressure exerted by sales executives. When offered the opportunity to replace subjective interpretation with seemingly objective decision-making, buyers chose to not deal with salespeople.

This â€œperfect stormâ€ of buyer frustration and anywhere access to selective expertise (such as friends on Facebook) is fundamentally eradicating professionally selling. While expert salesman will always be necessary in business development, the use of people in the role of selling will not be necessary as a business accelerating activity.

What we think of as marketing is fast becoming this new process for persuading buyer activity.